Paris Diamond League [Murali Sreeshankar Grabs Bronze]

Murali Sreeshankar won a historic bronze medal for the long jump event at the prestigious Diamond League Meet in Paris in June 2023. This is a significant achievement for Indian athletics and hence is relevant for the IAS exam current affairs segment.

Murali Sreeshankar Won Historic Bronze

Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar achieved a third-place finish in the Paris Diamond League, marking his first top-three result in this prestigious one-day meeting series. 

Image source: Economic Times

• His achievement represents a significant achievement for Indian athletics.
• Sreeshankar has joined the exclusive group of Indians who have achieved a top-three finish in a Diamond League event, which includes Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda.

What is the Diamond League?

The. Diamond League is a prestigious annual international athletics series consisting of various track and field events held across different cities around the world. It was started in 2010 and is conducted by the World Athletics body. The top athletes of the world compete in this league. The first Indian to win a Diamond League title is javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra when he won the men’s javelin event at Zurich in 2022.

Sreeshankar’s Performance

• Sreeshankar, a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, achieved his best jump of 8.09m in his third attempt, slightly below his season’s best of 8.18m.
• His personal best stands at 8.36m, accomplished in 2022.

Competition Results:

• Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou from Greece emerged victorious in the event, claiming the first position with an 8.13m jump in the fifth round, narrowly surpassing Sreeshankar by a mere 4 cm. 
• Simon Ehammer from Switzerland, the bronze medalist at the World Championships, secured the second position with an 8.11m jump in the fourth round.

Diamond League Achievements:

• Sreeshankar’s top-three finish in the Paris Diamond League adds him to the exclusive club of Indian athletes who have achieved such a feat in the series.
• Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic champion in javelin throw, is the reigning Diamond League champion in his event.
• Former discus thrower Vikas Gowda also secured podium finishes in New York, Doha, Shanghai, and Eugene.

Future Prospects and Qualifications:

• Sreeshankar’s performance earned him six qualification points for the Diamond League Finals, scheduled to take place in Eugene, USA, in September 2023.
• He will also earn valuable ranking points in his pursuit of qualifying for the World Championships, which will be held in Budapest, Hungary, in August 2023.
• To secure automatic entry to the World Championships, Sreeshankar must achieve the qualification standard of 8.25m by the deadline of July 30.
• Although he recorded an 8.29m jump in the USA in April ’23, it was deemed ineligible due to exceeding the permissible wind assistance limit.

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